Peru Amazon Cruises

Iquitos Amazon cruises: Pacaya Samiria reserve, Tres Fronteras & Yurimaguas

Overview

Amazon cruises from Iquitos offer several itinerary options, you can choose to navigate into the Pacaya Samiria natural reserve for amazing wildlife, cruise down river to Tabatinga in Brazil and Leticia (from here you can continue to Manaus) or venture up river to the Yurimaguas region.

We offer several riverboats for each option. 

PACAYA SAMIRIA RESERVE

The Reflection of hundreds of snow-white Great Egrets flash off the black-glass lake, pink dolphins surface gracefully in pairs. A sloth moves slowly in the tree top. At 5 million acres, the Pacaya Samiria Natural Reserve, locally called "The mirrored forest", is the second largest Reserve in Peru. In this carefully protected area there are 85 lakes, 250 species of fish, 132 mammals species, 150 reptile species, and 449 bird species. The Reserve is the home of the largest variety of Flora in Peru among which 22 species of orchids.

IQUITOS TO TABATINGA  / LETICIA

While sailing down the Amazon River, you will be able to appreciate the varied and beautiful landscapes along the river. Visit a sugar cane rum still, enjoy visits to river archipelagos, find Victoria water lilies, indigenous villages, jungle hikes in search of wildlife, piranha fishing excursions, night canoe rides in search of Caimans. A great combination of rainforest tribes culture and the mighty wilderness that makes this brown and mud clouded river ecosystem mysterious and wonderful.

UPRIVER FROM IQUITOS TO YURIMAGUAS

Sail on the Amazon, Marañon and Huallaga rivers. Start in Iquitos and sail upriver to the remote Yurimaguas region, gateway to the spectacular foothills of the Andes and the seldom visited Kuelap ruins.  This cruise also operates in the reverse from Yurimaguas to Iquitos. This trip can go on to Tarapoto located in a low Andean valley where you can then fly on to Lima or start a car/bus trip through the Andes to visit spectacular mountain views, ancient ruins and the old culture of the northern Peruvian coast.

Possible activities

•     Motor boat excursions
•     Canoeing
•     Bird watching
•     Jungle treks
•     Ecofishing
•     Shamanic encounters
•     River and lake exploration
•     Theme lectures
•     Cultural interaction
•     Canopy walkway
•     Swimming
•     Star gazing

Sightings

Amazon cruises bring you into close contact with nature and enhance the probability of spotting animals, yet nothing is guaranteed it is up to mother nature and chance sometimes but with luck and patience anything is possible.

To date, few inventories of Pacaya-Samiria's flora and fauna have been carried out. It is known, however, that the reserve provides critical habitat for the grey and pink river dolphins (Inia geoffrensis, Pteronura brasiliensis), Amazonian manatees (Trichechus inunguis), the black and spectacled caiman (Melanosuchus niger), giant South American river turtle (Podecnemis expansa), saddleback tamarin and many monkeys including the spider, capuchin, and squirrel species. A preliminary survey of birds has listed over 350 species, of the eight species of macaw recorded in Peru, five are found in the reserve. This protected area contains 85 lakes which are home to 250 species of fish and the largest variety of flora in Peru, including 847 different species of plants and trees (22 recorded species of orchids).

Trip planning

When travelling to Peru for your cruise additional plans should include:

- 1 hotel night in Lima pre-cruise
- Roundtrip airfare between Lima and Iquitos
- 4 airport transfers
- 1 hotel night in Lima post -cruise

Since you will be in Peru, you may also consider in taking a pre or post trip extension:

- Machu Picchu tour and Cuzco
- Andes mountain range travel
- Nazca lines & ballesta islands
- Puno and Lake Titikaka
- Chachapoyas & Kuelap fortress
- Arequipa and the Colca Canyon
- Trujillo and Sipan
- Mancora beach vacation